Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-08-05

supper and told him the strange tale Faith
er Dan took the money and promised to
say the masses, encouraging league to hope
that all would be well with Mary.
Come buck and tell me if she appears
TO you again, said he.
Ten days later he had a second visit from
league.
"Well, my good man" he began, "did
you get any word from that poor soul y
81 did, your reverence did"
"An' how is it wi her now -
Thanks be to your reverence an the
Lord, she's got to her rest now II was in
the night time, an ! was lyin' on my bed
wi the blessed rosary in my hands, prayin'
constant, when l heard the futterin' o.
wings at the window an then beautiful
hymn, like ane O. them hymns that is sung
in the chapel on Easter day, was sung, an
so knowed Mary was going heaven"
"Dii she speak, league T.
"Feen word. The hymn sounded faint
er an fainter, till it was like a wee gentle
sough o wind off the lough, and was con
tent in my mind to think that Mary was at
her rest"
The flax mill on the Mulroy road was the
scene Of another ghostly appearance. The
reader must transport himself in imagina-
ton across the ferry opposite the mill to
the farms lying beneath the hills, from
whence there was a good view of league
and Mary's house, and the wild range of
mountains behind it.
Rose Dillon was the prettiest girl in the
whole county. and she had many admirers
among the rich farmers-any one of whom
would have pleased her parents better than
the suitor she chose. James Majilton was
a handsome young man, but he was not
rich-he had only the flax mill and a poor
small farm and three cows. How vexa-
tious it was that Rose should set her affec-
tions upon him. when she could have been
mistress of a slated house and Il cows.
Father Dan was entreated to use his in
fucnce, and he did say word or two, rep
resenting the worldly advantages of Mike
and Sam, Teddy and John But it was all
to no purpose. Rose blushed and persisted
in clinging to James.
"Put your commands on her, your rev
erence she wilma 20 against the church,
said her father.
"No, no that is not to be done, replied
| the priest James is a good boy, he pays
his dues regular, an is diligent at his duty,
an obedient to his church. He deserves a
good wife. Let Rose have him"
After this opposition ceased, of course,
and a day was fixed for the wedding
! Plenty of corned beef and cabbage, bacon
and eggs, tea and whiskey were provided !;
two fddlers were engaged the neighbors
were invited to the feast and all was go
| ing merry as a marriage bell, when James
was suddenly taken i'll. The priest was
| sent for, and then a messenger went across
the ferry to summon Rose. Alas there
was no time to say farewell. James was
unconscious when Rose reached his bed
! l-t.1 haY. vt-i1I ha
impossible Hanging over the corpse, she
let her tears rain upon his placid face, un-
needing the grave reproofs of the women.
why do you be cryin that way, Rose
Dillon Sure you know that your lamentin'
will keep him frae his rest
They alluded to the belief of the poor
Roman Catholics that the inordinate grief
of survivors trouble the departed souls, and
weighs it down so that it is unable to soar
toward heaven.
"Wad We keep the poor fellow fyin' about
the world . asked her grandmother, who
had been brought across the ferry to attend
the wake. Sure, sure you wouldna be
that cruel to the poor boy that loved ye
true Lay back thon sheet, girl, an draI
nae mair tears over him | ha' knowed
it done
And then followed long list of examples,
Iue experience OI tlOse upon JU years Inc
wake house, as the mill was called, while
James lay there holding his last party, was
quite full, and women and men listened tC
Grannie Dillon respectfully shaking theil
heads gravely and uttering many an "Och
hoch and Alais me ~ the while. There
was good cheer at this last entertainment Of
James's-hs cousins had seen to that. Tes
and bread and butter and whiskey wert
provided in abundance, and there were
plates of cut tobacco, bundles of clear
pipes, and supplies of snuff for all comers
The visitors went one by one over TO the
bed and, turning down the sheet, took
last look at the corpse, using the formula
in vogue on these occasions, Dear, bu
he's very like himself !" and then anecdote,
were related respecting the departed, anC
the company gradually became cheerful
all but Rose.
James was laid to rest in the chape
graveyard at the edge of AIulroy, and tn,
plover and curlew circled over his head
and the work Of the world went on as be
fore. The flax mill was worked by hi
cousins, and league Martin and the othel
farmers repaired to it with their loads
Grannie Dillon spun her yarn her daugh
ter-in-law MIXED and churned the farm
er plowed his land-all settled down t.
} their daily toll except Rose She continued
to cry necessarily, regardless of remons
trance or rebuke.
1t happened that her father followed he
5 down to the ferry one evening and foun'
= her gazing at the flax mill so fxedly tina
she did not hear his footsteps.
"What is you see there, girl Z he asked
'Oh, father, do you not see y
l "Naething ava, Rose"
2 It's James that's standin' yonder on tn
shore lookin' over at me, an whies h
lifts his hand an waves to me- He's ther
l every evenin', an | still come here to NEE
) him. It's the only tryst we can hold now
There's naething there but the oul
walls o the mill an the whin bushes az
E the boat drawn up on the shore. Com
2 ava TO your work, girl, an help your poo
, mother that's slavin' in the byre her lane.
Rose went back to her work that time
, but she was always escaping to the ferry
< and always found gazing at something 9th
, ers could not see 1t soon became know
D in the country that James was "A trouble
soul, kept from his rest by his sweetheart
4 tears and Father Dan himself was calle
upon to interfere. What he said-wha
weighty arguments he used what CON
b mands he laid upon Rose-were not known
< but she listened and obeyed, and her tear
were dried
, But she faded away from that time an
, although James visited the mill no more,
j was believed he was beckoning to her. j
D. year had not passed before the crones
meeting one another, said -
e "Do you know what I'm Just done hear
y ing Rose Dillon has gone to her rest ~
1t was true. The chapel bell was knel
! ing for her she had gone to meet jaime